John Banner

John Banner Height 6 feet 1 inch 185 meters born Johann Banner on January 28 1910 was an AustrianAmerican actor who achieved lasting fame for his portrayal of the bumbling German Sergeant Hans Schultz in the beloved sitcom Hogans Heroes 19651971 Banner was born in Vienna AustriaHungary now Ukraine He studied acting at the prestigious Reinhardt Seminar and began his career on the Viennese stage In 1938 with the rise of the Nazis Banner a Jew fled Austria for the United States After arriving in America Banner struggled to find work in his chosen profession He took on odd jobs to make ends meet while continuing to pursue his passion for acting Eventually he began landing small roles in Hollywood films often playing stereotypical Germans In 1965 Banner landed the role of Sergeant Schultz in the CBS sitcom Hogans Heroes The show was set in a German prisonerofwar camp during World War II and followed the exploits of a group of American officers led by Colonel Robert Hogan Bob Crane Banners portrayal of Schultz the guard who was always seeing nothing and hearing nothing while the prisoners tunneled out of the camp or conducted other escapades was a comedic highlight of the show Banners comedic timing and delivery of the catchphrases I see nothing and I know nothing endeared him to audiences around the world He remained with the show for its entire sixseason run becoming synonymous with the role of Sergeant Schultz After Hogans Heroes ended in 1971 Banner continued to act appearing in guest roles on various television shows He also returned to the stage performing in a number of productions In 1973 Banner died of a heart attack while visiting Vienna He was 63 years old